The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has urged residents in flood-prone communities across 15 states to relocate to safer and higher ground before rising water levels trigger critical flooding.
The warning followed a high flood risk advisory issued by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), which identified Imo, Cross River, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Rivers, Edo, Kogi, Taraba, Delta, Bayelsa, Enugu and Abia as high-risk states.
The Director-General of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, also directed the Agency’s zonal directorates and operations offices covering the affected states to activate their preparedness mechanisms and remain on standby for possible response operations.
Umar urged residents living along riverbanks, floodplains, low-lying areas and other vulnerable locations to take the advisory seriously, stressing the importance of taking precautionary measures before flood conditions become severe.
She specifically directed State and Local Government authorities to activate their emergency preparedness plans and pre-position relief and rescue materials at safe locations on higher ground.
According to her, the materials should include food and non-food items, safe drinking water, water-treatment supplies, first-aid and medical materials, as well as rescue equipment.
The NEMA DG further called for special attention to vulnerable groups, including children, older persons, pregnant women and persons with disabilities, during evacuation and other emergency measures.
She cautioned residents against crossing flooded roads, bridges and fast-moving water, either on foot or in vehicles, and advised communities to continuously monitor official flood warnings.
Umar said early action remained essential to reducing the impact of flooding on lives, livelihoods and critical infrastructure.
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She urged communities to cooperate with emergency management authorities and comply with evacuation directives whenever issued.
NEMA, she added, would continue monitoring the situation in collaboration with NIHSA, State Emergency Management Agencies and other relevant stakeholders, while response teams remain on standby to provide assistance where required.
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